Supporting pupils with Speech, Language and Communication Needs. Nasen Leadership Conference

Transcription

1 Supporting pupils with Speech, Language and Communication Needs Nasen Leadership Conference 5 th February, 2016

2 What we will cover Speech, Language and Communication Needs Quick recap Strategic approaches to supporting SLCN Vision; building on what we do well Impactful approaches; professional development; identification and intervention Monitoring and evaluation Challenges and solutions

3 What are we talking about? What are speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)?

4 SLCN difficulties in any or any combination of Pragmatics: Use of language Semantics: Meanings Phonetics and phonology Speech sounds and sound systems Syntax Morphology Smallest grammatical unit Rules of sentence construction "Colourless green ideas sleep furiously." Most children develop good communicatio n given the right circumstances Most follow an expected pattern of development...some children don t...

5 Why is language so important? Needed for literacy, learning and life Wide ranging impact for children with SLCN

6 SLCN impact on literacy o Reading Age Level High Oral Language in Kindergarten Low Oral Language in Kindergarten Chronological Age

7 SLCN link with behaviour

8 SLCN impact on attainment How many pupils gain GCSE 5 A*-C grades, including English and maths? All pupils: 58.8% Pupils without any SEN: 69% Pupils with SLCN: What s the gap between pupils with SLCN and other pupils? The attainment gap between pupils with SLCN and that which all pupils achieve (with and without SEN) is

9 And because conversations are important in their own right

10 Strategic approaches to supporting children with SLCN What works the basics?

11 Strategic approach Decide what we want for our children Analyse our current practice Implement evidenced approaches Evaluate

12 Starting Point Starting point What s your outcome? Identify a lead person Audit current policy / practice / provision * Make a plan Review and reflect

13 Communication to be the best it can be for all

14 How to achieve this Vision: outcomes; building on what we do well; using our systems Impactful approaches Professional development Identification Intervention; graduated approach Parents and children Monitoring and evaluation; how will we know success Professional development Leadership Better outcomes for children with SLCN Intervention

15 Capture our current practice No reinventing wheels Audit

16 Starter for 10 Children with SLCN do better when: A long term view is taken and approaches are bespoke to your school and community School leaders are involved and interested School systems are used to embed best practice, reflect and support collaboration You have champions (with clout and passion) in your schools Teachers understand the components of language and it s importance to learning and have a range of effective strategies they can use in the classroom Parents are informed and involved Evidenced approaches and interventions are used suitable to your children and outcomes are captured Speech and Language Therapists take account of the educational context

17 Useful resources for a whole school approach 1. School leadership 2. Workforce development 3. Communication - friendly schools 4. Supporting pupils with SLCN 5. Engagement with parents, families or employers

18 Challenges and Solutions; example Challenges Solutions School with large numbers of children with SLCN Area of social deprivation Identified lack of expertise in school Built objectives for SLCN into school development plan; 3-5 year plan Lead identified for SLCN member of SLT Key teaching and support staff have elements built into performance management Professional development for lead teacher and qualification for 3 support staff External support for strategic planning Monitoring built into current systems

19 Accurate identification Identification Knowing how many children could be struggling Knowing what to expect what s typical* Insight into components of language Knowing risk factors interrogating current data sets

20 How many children are struggling...? % of primary pupils with SEN where SLCN identified as their main need % of pupils with long term, persistent SLCN In areas of social disadvantage, % of children identified with significant language delay Numbers of children under identified in recent studies % of secondary pupils with SEN where SLCN identified as their main need 9% 50% 30% 40% 10%

21 The Scale according to school census data 2.3% of primary school children are identified with primary SLCN (SA+/statement ) SLCN primary 0.7% of secondary pupils are identified as having SLCN; a primary communication need lots being missed SLCN secondary

22 Risk factors Risk Factors What you might see Gender: boys overrepresented relative to girls 2.5:1 Birth season Summer born 1.65 times more likely to have identified SLCN than autumn born Poor literacy Poor behaviour Poor self esteem Limited play Limited social interaction Poor working memory SLCN is 2.3 times greater for pupils entitled to free school meals (FSM) and living in more deprived neighbourhoods. Pupils with SLCN are lower achieving compared to children for example, with ASD. Useful for staff to be aware of risk factors Useful to interrogate current data sets with this in mind

23 Know what s typical and what look out for

24 Individuals Check out individuals speech, language and communication Tools available to cover all ages from 3-18

25 Challenges and solutions; An example Progression Tool Scores of Yr year 7 progression tool outcomes Number of Students % 5% 2 or more amber/red 1 amber 81% all green scores Total Student Score by Range Red Amber Green

26 What we found: Year 5 12 Year Red Amber Green 2 0 understanding spoken language understanding and using vocabulary sentences story telling and narrative social interaction

27 Evidenced and impactful Intervention Intervention Communication supportive classrooms - Audit resources, strategies and materials* Targeted support evidenced interventions for some children Specialist support facilitating specialist support

28 Impactful Interventions: a graduated approach For a few students, the below plus: Specialists such as speech and language therapists work directly with children For some students, the below, plus: Targeted well evidenced interventions are in place Well trained support staff deliver and link to the classroom For all students: The environment supports communication Teachers understand and support the components of Specialist support Small group interventions Communication supportive environment Whole class strategies

29 Consider the Environment Students need A physical environment that supports communication Will the environment support communication? Opportunities to practice communication skills, for example in group work Quality peer to peer and adult to pupil interactions that supports thinking and learning

30 Evidence based interventions What Works: interactive database of evidenced interventions to support positive outcomes in children s speech, language and communication.

31 Data base and Toolkit

32 Collaboration and specialist support Parents Teachers Therapists Child

33 Challenges and Solutions Challenges Solutions Secondary school in area of high deprivation Lots of students identified with poor language Lead teacher and SLT link Spoken language built into curriculum planning for identified students One key strategy each term whole school to support aspects of language; focus day to launch then reinforced Student champions for communication Targeted work supported by speech and language therapist bought in by school Tutor groups have activities three times weekly to support language and communication skills Consultant supports content, planning and review once termly

34 Professional development Staff development is key Awareness raising* Training and Qualifications In school support Collaborative working

35 ...whose responsibility is it to support?

36 anyone who uses language as a vehicle for learning Communication is everyone s business The language machine Good practice for SLCN is good practice for all

37 Professional development Check out your skills Developing skills Free access to an online self-audit tool Lots of free information available External training and support Using new strategies and reflecting on practice Qualifications available online for support staff (level 3) Post grad qualifications available for teachers

38 Some practical strategies Not the impossible Just the usual stuff

39 1. Understand SLCN The best people, they understand the nature of my condition...i d say that was the most important thing Young person with specific language impairment Share this video at a staff meeting try and work out what is going on with these children

40 2. Try out Think time Think time Benefits for students: The length and correctness of their responses increase. Questions from students were more frequent "I don't know" and no answer responses decreases. Volunteered, appropriate answers by larger numbers of students greatly increases. Responses from less able students increases The scores of students on academic achievement tests tend to increase. Benefits for teachers; Questioning strategies tended to be more varied and flexible. Decreased quantity and increased quality and variety of questions. Asked additional questions that required more complex information processing and higher-level thinking

41 3. Build meta skills Often students with SLCN don t know what they don t know Important to teach these really important meta skills Check out understanding Ask the pupil to repeat back in their own words or demonstrate what you want them to do

42 4. Use visual support /evidence/cfe/cfe_bookle_2008. pdf

43 5. Teach higher order language Idioms, double meanings, sarcasm and jokes Fantastic year 7 lots of noise and chat, exactly what s needed when Year 11 are doing exams. Well done! What do you call a deer with no eyes?

44 6. Consider the impact of vocabulary knowledge You will be given a diagram and equipment to complete a task. Use the aglet to help with the threading; it should reduce any frustration and the temptation to defenestrate. Most importantly consider how you would describe the process, using the best vocabulary possible and making sure there is no cacology going on when you do it. We want you to think about your emotional response, with no excuses of alexithymia. Finally we don t want anyone playing the role of the doryphore; work together in your groups to support the task.

45 6. Robust vocabulary teaching Teach vocabulary in context not just subject specific words Use robust vocabulary teaching strategies Make it fun! Repetition is key putting the words to work Use visual strategies to help words stick

46 Visual support graphic organisers

47 Which is the odd one out? Resist

48 Pictures exhausted who and why?

49 Questions who is showing courage?

50 Challenges and Solutions Challenges Time, resource, keeping it on the agenda Solutions Balance of information giving with practical solutions Ownership - Teachers working together to share best practice Resources provided to ensure easy implementation School systems; including in meeting agendas, performance management and reflective practice support the plan Developing specialists in house support staff completing a qualification in speech, language and communication Using student feedback to inform staff of what is working and what individual students with SLCN find useful

51 Measures of success; Tracking and monitoring Build into current systems Use additional tools

52 Link to your plans Measure against your baseline Changes in staff confidence; knowledge and skills Changes in the communicative environment Changes in classroom practice Outcomes of interventions Outcomes for children with SLCN Views of children and young people Suggested tools Capture through staff feedback / use of questionnaires / SLCF Classroom audit and student feedback Learning walks and link to performance appraisals Pre and post measures of children taking part in interventions Improvements in speech, language and communication skills Changes in literacy skills Increased confidence, interaction and social aspects of schooling Improved progression and attainment Capture views of teaching and learning,

53 Examples of success Confidence by leaders and staff in identification; numbers of SLCN in school moving towards expectations Whole class strategies for supporting active listening seen consistently in classes across the school; strategies reinforced during lunch breaks Students with SLCN comment positively on their input to identifying talk targets, targeted work and use of communication passports Staff, specifically in Science, History and English departments are more confident in their strategies for teaching vocabulary; students with SLCN more likely to seek clarification Visual support; identifying staff team, finding way round school, visual timetables in planners are all in place

54 Outcomes of targeted intervention 3 Average Improvement per language area Comments from students: understanding vocab narrative intervention non intervention I feel more confident about speaking out I know about words and how to work out what they mean It can be a pain coming out of class, but worth it I hate missing food tech though

55 And finally... Much of what helps pupils with SLCN day to day is looking at things through a different lens tweaking good practice and embedding supportive strategies An on going drive to keep it on the agenda Plus good solid evidenced interventions

56 Any questions

57 Additional resources Lots of resources available

58 Lots of free information about SLCN

59 Hearts and minds A day learning through speaking and listening Free resources to download Lesson plans Support for SEND Assemblies Information for staff Resources for parents Information for students

60 Identification, tracking and monitoring Speech and Language Link Ages and stages on Talking Point Target Ladders Speech, Language and Communication Needs - Speech, Language and Communication Needs

61 Word meanings The words The meanings Cacology Alexithymia Aglet Doryphore Defenestrate Bad choice or use of words Inability to recognise or describe emotions through words A tag or sheath on the end of a lace or ribbon Someone who draws attention to the minor errors made by others To throw out of a window

62 Contact Any queries, drop me a line: wendy@wendyleeltd.co.uk